4. Mated

Caterina

This is a wolf of The Blood Crest pack.

The tyrannical and merciless Russian wolf pack who ruled the other half of New York. They were also mafia, Russian Bratva and Sergio’s mortal enemies. I see my father walk towards the man and speak to him.

This terrified me; he had already promised me to the Lycans of Vegas. Would he offer me to this man as well? I know my father only wanted power, and the Bratva would be the perfect place to have a foot in the door. The man looked at my father, and his eyes flashed the deepest crimson I had ever seen.

“Move,” he growls and steps past my father, whose eyes fell on me, but they held no intimidation against the man who had brushed him off.

I step backwards, fear gripping my heart at the sight of this man stalking the room. His eyes were deep red, which signified he was an Alpha, and I have heard a lot about the Alpha of the Blood Crest Pack.

Beast, he was every inch of the word and oozed dominance.

This man had killed every member of his family, tore out their hearts, ate them and ascended to Alpha; This was not a man who I wanted to be noticed by. I needed to get out of here.

“Kai Volkov, what are you doing in my territory?” Sergio bellows and walks up to the man, his eyes flashing the red that signified Alpha as well, but it definitely held no power or intimidation over the man he called Kai. He chuckles and continues to search the room.

“I’ve come to claim what is rightfully mine, and her scent led me here.” He says, then meets Sergio’s gaze. Kai’s voice wasn’t loud, but it demanded submission. It was deep and powerful, leaving an ache in my core that surprised me. The unmistakable Russian accent was like music to my ears; I had to hear more.

“Leave before I kill you myself, Wilkołak.” Sergio roars, but Kai only shakes his head.

The other Alpha clicks his tongue. “You know I'm Russian, not Polish, right? In any case, I’ve only come for what’s mine, Andretti.” He says, and I notice the unmistakable scent of intimidation from both the Alphas.

“There is nothing here that belongs to you. Now leave before I make you.” Sergio roars again, and his men surround Kai, who sighs and crosses his arms in front of his chest, his huge muscles bulging.

I don’t know why, but I found him incredibly attractive, so much so that I ached for him. His head whips up, but before he can do anything, one of Sergio’s Beta’s lunges at him. Kai grabs him by the throat and rips it open with his now extended claws.

This should terrify me, disgust me even, but I saw this as incredibly sexy. He licks the blood from his fingers and grins.

“Self defence, you should teach your Beta pups more restraint, Andretti,” Kai says, then suddenly frowns.

He sniffs the air, then his blue eyes meet mine and shimmered that deep crimson again.

As soon as our eyes meet, I feel something similar to a string pulling taut. My core throbs with a need I have never felt before as his eyes bore into mine. My heart pounds like a drumline in my chest, so loud that I am sure he could hear it.

He bares his fangs in a delicious, devious grin and walks towards me, his stare knocking the wind out of me. It takes everything in me to not go to him and throw myself at his feet in submission.

What was this? Why did I feel attracted to him, even when he had just ripped a young Beta’s throat out?

He then lifts his hand and points to me. “I’ve come to claim my mate.”

His words brought me back to reality at a screeching halt. HIS WHAT?!

Is this what the mate bond felt like? This unmistakable pull, this desire throbbing deep inside and willing you to submit to the one the Mood Goddess chose for you? Could this be why his scent seemed so familiar to me, because I am fated to be his?

“Mate…” my wolf calls to him, ears pulled back and ready to submit.

His gaze does not leave mine as he stalks towards me, but Sergio steps in his path, forcing him to break eye contact and leaving me feeling bereft.

“Mate?! Are you insane, Volkov? Leave this instant, or that will be you laying with your throat ripped out.” He threatens, but Kai’s eye flickers to mine again then he smiles.

“You will deny me what the Moon Goddess has gifted me?” He chuckles, then his scent of intimidation flooded the room again, thick and heady and causing me to nearly stumble.

I feel his eyes on me again. “If you do not believe me, ask the female what happened when our eyes met.” He says, and now I know the entire room had their eyes trained on me. 

I look up, finding his gaze again and somehow feeling empowered by it. Sergio raised his eyebrow and waited.

“A throbbing right in my centre, then something similar to the feeling of a string pulling tight,” I whisper, but knew they all heard me.

Gasps from the room; I see my mother’s bulging eyes and my father’s lips a thin line. I scan the faces - all shocked and disgusted at what had just happened, but when my eyes fall on Carlotta, I caught the unmistakable hint of jealousy once again dancing in her eyes.

Sergio’s mouth was hanging open in shock, but my eyes didn’t linger on them long enough to care.

Kai was now standing in front of me, and I could smell his scent even more - a rough woodsy smell that played with my senses. He tilts my chin up and pins me with a deadly stare - then his eyes flash red with anger and he looks behind him.

“Everyone who has ever caused my mate to feel this broken and hurt will now be deemed my enemy. I don’t give a shit if you’re her mother or sister; you have hurt her and in turn, have hurt me.” He growls, then looks down at me.

“You’ll be safe with me, little wolf.” 

“Caterina. My name is Caterina,” I say in a hushed tone and see his eyes close in ecstasy - did my voice have the same effect on him as his voice had on me?

“Caterina…” he purrs, stroking my cheek. Then holds out his hand for me to take, which I do. His hands felt hard, calloused; the hands of an Alpha not afraid to get his hands dirty.

Bringing the back of my hand to his lips, he kisses it, then lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder. I squeal as he does this, but he only slaps my behind and turns to leave the room and my old life behind.

Onto a new life with a dangerous Alpha who claimed me as his, an Alpha who ate the hearts of his parents and brothers.

An Alpha who would kill anyone who stood in his way.